


Holy Trinity

by iknowhowmystoryends (gorgeouschaos)



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dean Winchester in the Ma'lak Box, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:29:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27975172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gorgeouschaos/pseuds/iknowhowmystoryends
Summary: Dean drowns.Sam.Dean drowns.Cas.Dean drowns.Jack.
Relationships: Castiel & Jack Kline & Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Holy Trinity

**Author's Note:**

> I just failed a final, have some angst. There will be a second chapter.  
> Thanks for reading, hope you like it, and I love hearing from y'all.

It can’t be worse than Hell. 

That’s what Dean tells himself as the first droplet of water falls onto his face. 

It can’t be worse than Hell. 

_ Drip _ . 

Alastair was patient. Alastair did much worse. 

_ Drip _ . 

Michael bangs harder on the door. Dean shoves him back down with an effort. He won’t be able to keep the archangel under control for much longer, but he wants a few more moments not actively being tortured. 

_ Drip _ . 

Alastair left Dean in the dark, once. 

_ Drip _ .

Dean doesn’t know how long it had been, just that it hadn’t been what broke him. 

_ Drip _ . 

He doesn’t remember what broke him. 

_ Drip. _

That’s a lie. 

_ Drip _ . 

Dean remembers everything. 

_ Drip. _

_ Drip _ . 

_ Drip.  _

Michael doesn’t let Dean die for more than a few seconds. Every time Dean’s lungs give out from lack of oxygen, he’s yanked back to life.

_ Drip.  _

_ Drip. _

_ Drip. _

He comes back to life trying to scream with no air. 

_ Drip.  _

_ Drip.  _

_ Drip. _

There’s probably something to that, Dean thinks hazily as he goes under again. The three drips between life and death.

Isn’t there something about a holy trinity?

Michael brings him back. Instinctively, Dean tries to inhale and fails.

_ Drip. _

Sam. 

_ Drip. _

Cas. 

_ Drip. _

Jack. 

The only trinity that’s ever mattered to him.

His lungs give out.

  
  


The water is seeping into the knees of his jeans by the time he realizes Michael’s stopped trying to get out. 

But then, Michael doesn’t have to. 

He just has to keep Dean alive long enough for Dean to forget why he’s keeping the door closed in the first place.

The rack was worse. 

_ Drip. _

Hell was worse. 

_ Drip.  _

Alastair was worse. 

_ Drip _ .

Dean gives up on counting drops after 10,587, because Michael gets bored and replenishes the oxygen. 

Dean uses it to pray. He hopes with everything he’s got left that Cas can’t hear him. Dean doesn’t know if he has the strength to say no to salvation anymore. 

The rack was worse. 

_ Drip _ .

At least it’s not fire. 

_ Drip _ . 

Alastair isn’t even around all that much. 

“Just say yes,” Alastair croons as Dean chokes on salt water. “Just say yes.”

Dean doesn’t remember what Alastair looks like, anymore. 

That’s a lie. 

Dean remembers everything. Like that he needs to say no.

He just doesn’t remember Alastair looking like him.    
He just doesn’t remember why he needs to say no. 

Dean drowns. 

_ Sam. _

Dean drowns. 

_ Cas. _

Dean drowns. 

_ Jack. _

When the top comes off the Ma'lak box, Dean doesn’t bother trying to get out. He knows it’s a trick. He closes his eyes against the blinding light and prepares to drown again. 

Hands grab his jacket and haul him into a sitting position. 

“No,” Dean tries to say as his head breaks the surface. He coughs up salt water, retches, tries again as he struggles weakly against whoever’s holding him up. “No.”

“Dean,” someone says, and it sounds like Sam, but this can’t be Sam, this can’t be Sam,  _ Dean sold his soul so this wouldn’t happen _ \--

“No,” he rasps.

“Dean--” and that sounds like Cas, but Cas doesn’t belong here, because Dean was stronger this time, Dean had been saying no, but Dean was  _ out of the box-- _

“Put me back,” he begs. “No.”

“Dean,” Cas says firmly. “You are not in Hell.”

Dean’s done listening. He lashes out blindly, clawing with the nails Alastair liked so much. He throws himself sideways and cracks his head against the edge of the Ma'lak box. The lights that explode behind his eyes are brighter than the one his closed eyelids are keeping out. 

Dean passes out. It’s almost as good as dying. 


End file.
